The unemployment rate in the US transportation sector dropped to 3.6 per cent in December, down from 4.3 per cent a year earlier, reports the American Journal of Transportation.

Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed transportation unemployment was lower than the national rate of 4.1 per cent not seasonally adjusted, and 4.4 per cent seasonally adjusted. The sector's jobless rate had peaked at 15.7 per cent during the Covid scare in May and July 2020.

Seasonally adjusted employment in transportation and warehousing fell to 6,664,700 in December, down 0.1 per cent from November and 0.9 per cent from December 2024. Air transport employment rose to 580,900, up two per cent year on year, while truck transport was steady at 1,513,300, down 0.2 per cent from a year earlier.

Transit and ground passenger employment climbed to 499,900, up 3.1 per cent year on year. Rail jobs rose to 151,000, up 0.5 per cent from November but down 2.5 per cent from December 2024. Water transport employment increased to 73,000, up 4.4 per cent year on year, while pipeline jobs rose 9.2 per cent to 61,600.

Warehousing and storage employment fell to 1,791,500, down 0.4 per cent from November and 2.8 per cent from December 2024. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics updated its dashboard with the latest figures, noting sectoral highs and lows since records began in 1990.